Last week's election proved one thing: No matter how bad the issues facing our country become, nothing will motivate many Americans to act in our democracy quite like the fear of seeing boys kissing boys. In a time when the economy has been struggling, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, health care costs are skyrocketing, and more than 1,100 troops have died in Iraq, apparently "moral values" are most important in voting for our president. [Read article]

To offset any misperceptions that may occur in readers who read only headlines ("Has ASU gotten better than the UA?" Oct. 28), I'd like to emphasize that the UA remains solidly established as one of the nation's top public student-centered research universities.

With more than $400 million in research funding received annually, the UA generates roughly 75 percent of the Arizona university system's research dollars, triple the total research funds generated by Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University combined. [Read article]

In post-election America, javelinas run the asylum

Many people with my political orientation feel depressed last week. But I take comfort in a "Twilight Zone" episode called "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder."

A woman is in the hospital. Her face is wrapped in bandages. She had surgery to correct her hideous appearance but does not know if it worked. When the bandages come off, you see that she is beautiful. But then you see that the doctors and nurses look like human/javelina hybrids. So she is devastated. [Read article]